Bathroom assists

The bathroom is one of the most potentially dangerous rooms in the home, particularly for older adults. Why? Let's start with the wet and slippery surfaces, loose rugs, and sharp corners. Next, add in the physical challenges many older adults experience: difficulty with balance getting in and out of the bath or shower; trouble bending and reaching to adjust water temperature or wash body parts; difficulty seeing without glasses or contact lenses. It makes for one seriously dangerous mix. Statistics are hard to isolate, but a CDC report credits bathroom accidents with causing over 235,000 injuries in 2008. Among older adults, bathroom incidents accounted for 2.5% of all unintentional injuries.